Mr. M. Zafar ul Haq Hijazi

Chairman

Mr. M. Zafar ul Haq Hijazi is a Chartered Accountant with a distinguished career, encompassing diverse roles within the professional landscape. Significantly, he has also taken on crucial roles within the apex regulatory authority overseeing Pakistan’s capital markets, as Commissioner and then as Chairman of SECP.

Mr. Hijazi played an instrumental role in amending and introducing critical legislation of the Companies Act of 2017, replacing Companies Ordinance of 1984. This landmark legislation stands as the most comprehensive and intricate statute relating to the corporate sector in Pakistan’s parliamentary history. The Act represents a paradigm shift by replacing archaic regulations, some dating back over three decades, with contemporary and progressive provisions. This transformation has ushered in anew era of modernized corporate governance in Pakistan.

In addition, Mr. Hijazi has been a driving force behind key legislative measures, including the Securities Act of 2015, which supplanted the obsolete Securities and Exchange Ordinance of 1969. These efforts have empowered stakeholders with updated legal frameworks, enhancing their operational effectiveness. His contributions extend to laws and acts such as the Future Markets Act of 2016, the SECP (Amendment Act) of 2016, the Corporate Restructuring Companies Act of 2016, and the Limited Liability Partnership Act of 2017. His engagement also encompasses the formulation of subsidiary regulations, encompassing rules and regulations vital for the effective functioning of the regulatory landscape.

Furthermore, Mr. Hijazi’s involvement spans beyond legislation drafting. He played a pivotal role in shaping the legislations for Insurance and Modaraba sectors of Pakistan, aligning them with the evolving needs of the corporate sector.

Mr. Hijazi’s resolute efforts led to integrating three stock exchanges of Pakistan to form PSX which emerged as one of the best-performing markets of Asia from its early period. It paved a way for Pakistan to be classified as an Emerging market by Morgan Stanly Capital International (MSCI), a distinction previously lost in 2008. The revival of activities such as divestment, and listings, considered dormant for over a decade and a half, was made possible through collaborative stakeholder efforts.

The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) acknowledged the rigorous reforms, elevating Pakistan’s capital market compliance to 82 percent with international transparency standards, a significant leap from the previous assessment of 32 percent.

Under his stewardship, the AOB was established as an independent audit regulator, dedicated to overseeing the quality of audits of public interest companies. This step reinforces transparency, accountability, and efficiency, safeguarding the integrity of financial disclosures provided to stakeholders.

Mr. Tariq Iqbal Khan

Member

Mr. Tariq Iqbal Khan is a Fellow Chartered Accountant and has held numerous key positions including President Islamabad Stock Exchange, Member Federal Board of Revenue, Commissioner and Acting Chairman SECP, Chairman National Investment Trust Limited (NITL), Chairman Attock Refinery Limited, Chairman Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, Director DCR-VIS Credit Rating Agency Limited, Director Central Depository Company Limited, Chairman Pakistan Banking Association. He also served on the Boards of numerous listed and unlisted companies, including Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Company Limited (KPOGCL) as Chairman. He is currently serving Packages Converters Limited as Chairman.

Mr. Muhammad Naeem

Member

Mr. Muhammad Naeem is a Chartered Accountant by profession since 1967 both in individual capacity and as a former partner of Muniff Ziauddin & Co. He is a fellow member of ICAP and also qualified as a CPA from the State of California in 1976. At ICAP, he has served as Council Member, Vice President and as a member of the QAB.

Mr. Naeem holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi and a Bachelors in Commerce Degree with Honours from Hailey College of Commerce, Lahore.

Mr. Naeem has been appointed at important positions in Pakistan’s financial market. He has served as a Director of one of Pakistan’s largest bank, National Bank of Pakistan, as well as PSX. He served as Chairman of Audit Committee in both these institutions.

He has also remained the Chairman of former Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE). At LSE, he was nominated as the Chairman, Funds Committee. Mr. Naeem has also served as the Vice President and member of Executive Committee of Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry SECP also nominated Mr. Naeem as the Chairperson of Small Disputes Resolution Committee. Moreover, he has also served as the Council member & Vice President of Lahore Tax Bar Association. Mr. Naeem has also served as Treasurer of Pakistan Cricket Board as well as Asian Cricket Council.

Previously, Mr. Naeem served as a Member of the AOB and Convener of its Audit and Finance Committee from December 2016 – February 2019.

Mr. Tahir Hassan Qureshi

Member

Mr. Tahir Hassan Qureshi is a seasoned professional with a diversified experience of over 33 years including 28 years of experience in banking, holding senior positions (Chief Executive Officer/President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Internal Auditor) including Non- Executive/Independent Directorships.

He is a Fellow member of ICAP, Member Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy UK, Fellow member Institute of Banker Pakistan and Diplomate Islamic Banking.

He is a Certified Director and Independent/Non-Executive Director on Public and Private Sector Companies, Member of AML Supervisory Board and remained Member of Appellate Board of ICAP.

Mr. Adnan Afaq

Member

Mr. Adnan Afaq is a Chartered Accountant by qualification and a Banker by profession, with 35 years of experience. He sits on several boards contributing in areas such as reorganization, revisiting performance evaluation criteria, setting up of business units, transition of multi-generational family businesses and inculcating a superior culture.

In his life, he has set up a bank and two financial institutions. Mr. Afaq’s contribution to nation building has come through his work with local regulatory bodies on key policy issues, including the SBP, Accounting Standards Board, QAB and SECP. He has also worked with several Foreign Governments including Iran, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh, which paved the way for regulatory developments and settingup of Credit Rating Agencies in these markets.

He teaches both students at university level including LUMS and professionals, Chartered Accountants, Bankers, and Directors.

Following the 2005 earthquake, he rebuilt a village of 160 homes near Balakot and during COVID-19 provided ration support in Gulmit-Hunza to over 1,000 individuals.

In 2016, he co-founded a startup whereby he has actively worked to change the narrative of Pakistan by inviting tomorrow’s global leaders for policy dialogue and people-to-people exchange. He now lives in Hunza where he has set up a resort, and arranges high-end adventure tours.

Mr. Mohammad Abdul Aleem

Member

Mr. Abdul Aleem is currently the CEO and Secretary General of Overseas Investors Chambers of Commerce & Industry (OICCI). He has worked in senior positions within both Exxon Chemicals and Engro Corporation, serving in both Singapore and Pakistan. Thereafter, he has worked with British American Tobacco Group UK (BAT) in Pakistan and overseas, where he ultimately served as CEO of BAT Operations in Cambodia, Mauritius, and Indian Ocean territory. Since 2004, he has served in senior positions with large Government-owned organizations in Pakistan. His last assignment was as the Managing Director, Pakistan State Oil Company Ltd.

He is currently a Director and Chairman of Audit Committee of Meezan Bank Limited and Pakistan Refinery Limited. In the past Mr. Aleem was also a Director of Pakistan Tobacco, Lahore University of Management Sciences and Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance.

As a supporter of leading non-profit organizations in the field of education, Mr. Abdul Aleem is currently Vice Chairman of Professional Education Foundation and Chairman of Intellect School Governing Board.

He is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (Gold Medallist) and a Fellow Member of the Institute of Cost & Management Accountant. He has also attended extensive international management training programs including at Stanford University.

Syed Irfan Ali

Member

Mr. Ali is a banking sector policy expert and adviser. His expertise includes banking and non- banking regulation, payment systems, AML/CFT, financial markets, Climate Risk, Digital Banking and FinTech. He has also played a key role in developing Prudential Regulations, introduction and amendment in key statutes related to banking and supervision, structuring and restructuring of Financial Institutions, assistance to the Government in disinvestment / privatization process of public sector banks, mergers and acquisition, and introduction of thematic inspection concept as a precursor to the risk based supervision are his few achievements during his services to SBP. Mr. Ali has also been associated with various committees and working groups and represented SBP at various domestic and internal forums like the World Bank, IADI, FATF/APG and IMF.

He is the key team member of central bank’s historic initiative to financially integrate all Pakistanis across the world, by means of digital banking & FinTech under the flagship Roshan Digital Account (RDA).

His career spans over a period of nearly 33years, beginning in 1992. Prior to his proceeding on LPR, Mr. Ali held the position of Executive Director, Financial Inclusion Group, Banking Policy & Regulation Group and Banking Supervision Group at SBP. He has also served as Director General, Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU), MD DPC and President IDBL.

He is also prolific speaker and covers a wide range of industry subjects. He has been constantly engaged in speaking both in Pakistan and abroad at all forums and is a professional trainer on broad range of subjects, however branchless banking & FinTech remains his forte.